November 1, 2026 - 5:34 pm

A celebration of life, death and Latin American culture drew hundreds to a colorful Día de los Muertos event in downtown Las Vegas on Sunday.

The Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday traditionally celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, honors lost loved ones and offers a celebration of their memory.

Generations of Nevadans went to the Civic Center Plaza outside Las Vegas City Hall for a community celebration. On the plaza’s stage, a middle school mariachi band blew trumpets and bowed violins. Later, girls in flowy dresses adorned with vibrant flowers danced.

The girls were taught about their moves by Martha Luevanos, who 56 years ago moved to Nevada from Ciudad Juárez in Mexico, where she was a professional dancer.

Her son, Gerardo Luevanos, said she choreographs the dances, sews the intricate dresses and teaches the girls “to honor their culture and the traditions of their forefathers.”

“We know we’re all gonna pass on at some point,” he said.…